Between 1999 and 2000, 7 British Columbia communities participated as demonstration sites for suicide prevention initiatives. The goal was to identify planning and communication requirements, local leadership characteristics, community level partnerships, and infrastructure needs that best facilitate a comprehensive and community-wide approach to youth suicide prevention. this project also sought to help communities begin the process of applying best practices and to undertake research that could improve the understanding of what worked in their community. The best practice strategies included skill building, peer helping, youth participation, suicide awareness education, school and community gatekeeper training, system wide protocols, and community development. One of the most important findings within the communities was the power of simply bringing youth suicide into the open as a topic appropriate for public discussion. "Permission" to discuss suicide can reduce tensions, facilitate communication, and help young people get the help they need. The report concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned from the project, and points for consideration in implementing best practice strategies and in developing the next phase of this project. (JDM)

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